Bob Cassidy - PseudoMentally Yours.pdf - Bob Cassidy - mcgregor2001

PseudoMentally Yours

Robert E Cassidy

(originally published in 1977)

My picture as it appeared in the original edition.

Taken during a performance on the Holland America Line

ship M.S. Rotterdam in 1975. I was 26.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRESIDENTIAL PORTRAITS

THE 35mm DIE CAN TEST

THE TELEPATHIC DIARY

BEATING THE BOOK TEST

PART ONE

THE PENCIL POINT PROPHECY

PART TWO

THE IMPROMPTU IMPRESSION

PART THREE

THE PHONE BOOK FINALE

A BRIEF DIVERSION

AN EXPERIMENT WITH TIME

ULTIMATE FOURTH DIMENSIONAL TELEPATHY

THE SHIRT POCKET MINDREADER

AND IN CONCLUSION:

PRESIDENTIAL PORTRAITS

This is an effective bit of mentalism which makes a good opening number. It is rather

novel since the whole thing appears to be a joke until the very last-moment.

EFFECT: The mentalist shows an 8xlO manila envelope in which he says he has

placed a drawing of a famous president. A volunteer stands and calls out the name of

any president that comes to mind. Opening the envelope, the performer exclaims that

the volunteer is correct and that the drawing is of the very president named.

"Off course," says the Master Mind, "I'm not the best artist in the world, but I'm sure you

can see the resemblance."

The audience is shown a primitive, childlike drawing of a face, which is really no more

than a circle with two eyes, a nose and a smile.

A 35mm TRIPLE TEST

"You don't recognize the picture? Well it's a good thing that I WROTE HIS NAME ON

THE BACKS" Whereupon the performer turns the picture around and shows the

selected name printed in black magic marker ink.

METHOD: No... .there is no Swami gimmick and the selection is apparently a free

one, yet the audience sees exactly what has been described above.

Try this - mentally visualize the faces of as many presidents as you can. How many can

you ACTUALLY SEE? Not their NAMES... .but their FACES. Now let's narrow it down

even more. Visualize a famous TWENTIETH CENTURY president. The word "Famous"

should limit you to about six names. And six choices we can cover easily. Don't worry,

though, if your volunteer comes up with Harding or Coolidge as there are two ways out

in such a case.

The volunteer, then, is asked to VISUALIZE the FACE of a famous TWENTIETH

CENTURY president. The large manila envelope has six pictures in it, all drawn on tag

board. The pictures are the same but each has a different name on the back. They are:

KENNEDY, TRUMAN, ROOSEVELT, JOHNSON, WILSON, and EISENHOWER. They

cover most of this century and 99% of the time your volunteer will name one of them.

Remember, he is asked to VISUALIZE the president, not to merely think of his name.

(Quick, describe Warren G. Harding! Also, if you consider that “Roosevelt” covers two

possibilities, you can see that the selection of a “force” name is almost foolproof. Of

course you can always use a stooge, and occasionally I have, but this isn’t always

practical at a private engagement where he might talk afterwards.

The first picture, KENNEDY, is just large enough to fit in the envelope. Each of the

following pictures is cut about ¼ inch shorter than its predecessor. This makes for

easy, fumble—free removal from the envelope. Also, the names are penciled lightly on

the exposed portion of each card. The cards are placed in the envelope so they can be

removed with the picture side facing the audience.

Don’t worry about the envelope never being shown empty. The joke covers that. As

soon as the picture is removed and the audience reacts, nonchalantly put the envelope

onto your table or into your attache case. Since they think you’ve only been kidding

them, they have no reason to suspect the envelope. At the conclusion of the effect it is

out of sight, completely forgotten.

I mentioned that there were two outs if an odd name was selected. Here they are: If the

volunteer gives a name you haven’t covered, ask him to describe the president as best

he can. Usually he won’t be sure of himself, so you ask him to think of someone whose

face he can actually visualize in his mind’s eye. (If he names Richard Nixon just say,

“No sir, a FAMOUS president, please.” — NOT recommended for the Republican Club

banquet.) If he persists in describing Warren C. Harding or Calvin Coolidge, just let it go

at that and proceed with the gag finish. It will be especially funny after the spectator

gives a detailed description and then sees your “portrait”.

Incidentally, I’ve only had to use an out once in three years of performing the effect on

almost a weekly basis. I used the joke finish and found that it put the audience

effectively off guard for my next effect, which was all the stronger because of it.

The other out, for those of you who insist on showing the correct name every time, is as

follows. When the volunteer gives the wrong name, point to two or three other people

and have them name a president also. One of them will certainly give you a force name.

State that in order to prevent the possibility of confederacy or pre—arrangement, you

will write each of the selected names on slips of paper and have yet another party select

one of them. Write the exact same name on each slip, fold them up, and have one

selected. Pocket the remaining slips and finish as described.

NOTE: This effect is an extension of Robbins’ ESP PHOTO MIRACLE, a much

overlooked bit of business. Back in 1974, while I was performing weekly on the cruise

ship Statendam, the German magician Hans Moretti suggested that the effect would be

very strong if an actual photo of the person named could be removed from the

envelope. I agreed, but didn’t want to sacrifice the laugh because it always served to put

the audience at ease for participation in my later effects.

PRESIDENTIAL PORTRAITS combines the best of both ideas - it gives the audience a

good laugh as well as an effective mystery. And believe me, any mental act is all the

better with some occasional humor thrown in.

THE 35mm DIE CAN TEST

The mentalist shows a 35mm film can and demonstrates its complete opacity and

innocence. A die is also brought forth and handed to a spectator.

The spectator puts the die and can behind his back, drops the die inside and affixes the

lid. The can is brought forward and shaken by several persons. No one can possibly

know which number faces upward. Under these conditions the mentalist is able to cor-

rectly divine the hidden number. All of the props may be closely examined and no secret

preparation will be found.

PROPS: Two dice are required. They are ¾ inch wooden cubes with rounded

corners. (This allows them to turn freely in the can.)

A small carpet tack with a large head is hammered flush into one of the dice. Done

neatly, and with a little paint to touch up the work, the preparation isn’t noticeable. In

any case, the audience won’t have much of an opportunity to inspect this die closely.

Also needed is a small, easily palmed magnet. Or, use an Emerson & West “Cling

Ring”, which has the magnet built right in. A plastic or aluminum 35mm film canister

completes the list of props.

SET UP: Place the unprepared die into the left pocket. The Cling Ring is on the right

hand. If you’re using a magnet instead, it is palmed between the bases of the middle

and ring fingers. The film can, lid, and prepared die are on the table.

OPERATION The film can is freely shown and seen to be the same light tight can that

all standard 35mm photographic film cans are. The prepared die is given to a spectator

who verifies that it has all of its spots. He is then asked to place it behind his back and

to roll it around in his hand. Taking the can behind him also, the spectator drops the die

inside and puts the lid on.

Several people shake the can and the die is heard to tumble happily about. You then

take the can and place it in your right hand, directly over the magnet or Cling Ring. With

the right thumb on top of the can, give it a few more shakes. The very moment the die

ceases to make noise, the shaking must be stopped. The tack head is now stuck to the

magnet and the opposite side of the die faces upward. (Of course you have

remembered the number on that side.)

While all of this is going on, secretly finger palm the regular die from your left pocket.

The number is dramatically revealed and the can is opened to prove that you are

correct.

At this point comes a Chop Cup type switch. With the magnet still held against the

bottom of the can, the can is turned over onto the left palm, which simultaneously brings

the regular die into view. The gimmicked die, naturally, clings magnetically to the inside

bottom of the can.

The unprepared die is tossed to the table. As the audience examines it your hands

come together, the magnet is released, and the gimmicked die falls secretly into your

left hand. The can is then put on the table and also may be examined.

METHOD NUMBER TWO: To repeat the effect immediately you might like this idea. Get

an extra lid for the can and stick a piece of mirror finish mylar to its inside surface. After

presenting the effect as described, it is no problem to secretly switch caps.

Pick up the open can in the right hand, holding it horizontally with the open end toward

the spectators. Turn your head away and ask a spectator to place the die into the can

and note the number facing him. Meanwhile, you are holding the prepared lid in the left

Bob Cassidy - PseudoMentally Yours.pdf

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